ID :
75112
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 15:15
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/75112
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BIMP EAGA MINISTERS AGREE PROJECTS CAN HELP BIMP-EAGA TAKE OFF
KOTA KINABALU (Malaysia), Aug 13 (Bernama) -- The Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asian Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA)
ministers have decided that the best way to help BIMP-EAGA take off is "to concentrate on a few projects".
In this respect, they had tasked the senior officials to look into five or
six projects that could be presented to the leaders during the 6th BIMP-EAGA
Summit in October in Phuket, Thailand.
The projects have to do with improving infrastructure, connectivity and
products such as agricultural products, said a statement issued by Sabah
Industrial Development Ministry here Thursday.
The 14th BIMP-EAGA Ministers Meeting was held in Bandar Seri Begawan on Aug
8 and chaired by Brunei Foreign Affairs and Trade Second Minister Pehin Lim Jock
Seng.
Sabah was represented by Industrial Development Minister Raymond Tan
Shu Kiah.
The statement said the meeting had discussed, among others, the progress of
the implementation of the BIMP-EAGA Roadmap to Development that includes
development in priority areas of BIMP-EAGA such as in transport connectivity,
energy interconnection, tourism promotion, trade facilitation, natural resources
and SME development.
It also deliberated on the future direction of BIMP-EAGA beyond 2010.
The statement said the Economic Research Institute for Asean and East Asia
(ERIA) had secured a US$15 million budget for a comprehensive masterplan to
coordinate, expedite, upgrade and expand subregional initiatives in East Asia
alongside promoting private sector participation.
BIMP-EAGA, along with the Mekong-India Industrial Corridor and several
other areas, have been identified by ERIA as critical areas that need further
growth in the region.
The masterplan will cover the whole BIMP-EAGA region but some areas will be
taken with special focus, such as establishing a logistics network between
Southern Mindanao in the Philippines and North Sulawesi in Indonesia.
It said that the ministers also had an interactive session with diverse
private sector representatives from BIMP-EAGA region as well as Japan.
The session had the objective of exchanging views and concerns of the
private sector in their business dealings in the subregion.
The ministers underscored the need for closer coordination and regular
engagement between the private sector and BIMP-EAGA Ministers and officials in
the implementation of the BIMP-EAGA Roadmap to Development initiatives and
programmes.
In conjunction with the meetings, the BIMP-EAGA Trade Exposition and
Business Conference were also held. Over 50 exhibitors took part in the
exposition with participation from Japanese and BIMP-EAGA companies.
Some 100 people from the public and private sectors in BIMP-EAGA and Japan
took part in the conference that discussed wide-ranging topics from transport
and logistics to trade facilitation, environment and financing options for the
private sector.
-- BERNAMA
ministers have decided that the best way to help BIMP-EAGA take off is "to concentrate on a few projects".
In this respect, they had tasked the senior officials to look into five or
six projects that could be presented to the leaders during the 6th BIMP-EAGA
Summit in October in Phuket, Thailand.
The projects have to do with improving infrastructure, connectivity and
products such as agricultural products, said a statement issued by Sabah
Industrial Development Ministry here Thursday.
The 14th BIMP-EAGA Ministers Meeting was held in Bandar Seri Begawan on Aug
8 and chaired by Brunei Foreign Affairs and Trade Second Minister Pehin Lim Jock
Seng.
Sabah was represented by Industrial Development Minister Raymond Tan
Shu Kiah.
The statement said the meeting had discussed, among others, the progress of
the implementation of the BIMP-EAGA Roadmap to Development that includes
development in priority areas of BIMP-EAGA such as in transport connectivity,
energy interconnection, tourism promotion, trade facilitation, natural resources
and SME development.
It also deliberated on the future direction of BIMP-EAGA beyond 2010.
The statement said the Economic Research Institute for Asean and East Asia
(ERIA) had secured a US$15 million budget for a comprehensive masterplan to
coordinate, expedite, upgrade and expand subregional initiatives in East Asia
alongside promoting private sector participation.
BIMP-EAGA, along with the Mekong-India Industrial Corridor and several
other areas, have been identified by ERIA as critical areas that need further
growth in the region.
The masterplan will cover the whole BIMP-EAGA region but some areas will be
taken with special focus, such as establishing a logistics network between
Southern Mindanao in the Philippines and North Sulawesi in Indonesia.
It said that the ministers also had an interactive session with diverse
private sector representatives from BIMP-EAGA region as well as Japan.
The session had the objective of exchanging views and concerns of the
private sector in their business dealings in the subregion.
The ministers underscored the need for closer coordination and regular
engagement between the private sector and BIMP-EAGA Ministers and officials in
the implementation of the BIMP-EAGA Roadmap to Development initiatives and
programmes.
In conjunction with the meetings, the BIMP-EAGA Trade Exposition and
Business Conference were also held. Over 50 exhibitors took part in the
exposition with participation from Japanese and BIMP-EAGA companies.
Some 100 people from the public and private sectors in BIMP-EAGA and Japan
took part in the conference that discussed wide-ranging topics from transport
and logistics to trade facilitation, environment and financing options for the
private sector.
-- BERNAMA
